Williamsburg Coffee Shop Charges By The Minute, Not By The Cup

A new cafe has opened in Williamsburg that charges customers by the minute rather than by the drink—for some freelancers (or students), it could be the solution to posting up in a Starbucks or shelling out for a coworking membership.

Coffee, granola bars, WiFi, and games are all free at Glass Hour, which bills itself as the first pay-per-minute cafe in the United States. Instead of paying for services, customers pay for time: the first hour costs $6, regardless of whether you spend 2 or 59 minutes there. After the first hour, customers are charged 10 cents a minute. After four hours, you pay a flat rate of $24 no matter how long you stay.

As Business Insider points out, going to Glass Hour every day isn't necessarily more cost-effective than a co-working space, but it's a good option for anyone who feels bad hogging a seat at their local coffee shop or doesn't feel like going to Starbucks for the millionth time. Unlike most other coffee shops, Glass Hour also has board game, video game, and foosball nights.

For the next five days, Glass Hour is having a Kickstarter special. Anyone who donates $3 to their Kickstarter gets 2 hours of unlimited cafe-ing (which normally costs $12); a $12 donation gets you a full day pass; a $50 donation gives you a full week of access; and a $200 donation gives you a full monthly pass.